Cassette Review // Audrey Heartburn "Dressing Room//Round 2: Fight!" (Leisure World Tapes)

$5 //
https://leisureworldtapes.bandcamp.com/album/dressing-room-round-2-fight //

When this first starts there is a bass line that reminds me of "Bleach" era Nirvana or possibly the Groovie Ghoulies.   The vocals kick in, there are two different sets, and it just has all the wild attitude of punk fused with rock n roll.    By the second song this gets quite wild.   Back in the late 1990's on early 2000's there was this CD where bands did covers of classic cartoons and in some ways Audrey Heartburn sounds like an artist who would have been a part of that.  I would love to hear them cover the "Speed Racer" theme, for example.  (Although perhaps a secret pleasure would be "Go Go Gophers")

Something like Pollens, I'm also reminded of Birthing Hips and just the general idea that this could be like Period Bomb in a more organized sense, although that is not to take away from the chaos.    But even with the song "Squeeze" I'm reminded of an amped up classic rock song, you know, like The Who but in a more modern sense.    Regardless of who you wish to compare this with, just be assured that it just flat out rocks.   Even elements of my recently reviewed album "WHAT?" by Throwaway can be found within.

"You Get What You Get" has this dreamy quality to it, somewhere between That Thing You Do! and MTX and I like it because it opens with the line "I'm not a bad guy / I'm just going through some hard times".    Musically, whether the songs are wild like we heard earlier or just so clean and pure such as this, they all just shine where you know that Audrey Heartburn knows how to play their instruments and isn't just trying to play fast and loud for a lack of talent.   This could easily be one of the most talented group of musicians you will ever hear.

"Tame" starts off slower and quiet, but then turns into anything but as it takes on an almost thrash rock vibe throughout the end of it.   The final song- "Believe"- can start off reminding me of The Monkees but then it gets this almost ska guitar riff in it which I guess in terms of rock goes best with TMBG.  But this still has that raw, punk attitude behind it and I do enjoy that about it. 

The second half of this cassette (which I'm sure is the second EP) seems to have more singular vocals than the pair we heard earlier on.   I do like the fact that this cassette is being used to showcase two EPs because even if an artist has a full length of material out there, why not give some of the EPs a physical release as well-- and this is as good a way as any to do it.   Never a dull moment, turn this one up and let it blow out your speakers.